The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1887-06-02

all Ine Clme, To-Day (DecOfaClOn
Day. is legal holiday. The Depart
ments are closed, and the Government
employees are free.
Unusual elaborate memorial SER
vices have been arranged to take place
at Arlington, Soldiers Home ceme-
terry, the Congressional cemetery and
at General Logan's tomb. The sol
diers who have participated in the
National Drill will join the Grand
Army of the Republic and the Army
Of the Potomac in professions to these
places, and there will be music and
oratory and prayers and poetry and
flowers.
The contests OF the Drill are over,
but the Encampment does not break
up until this evening The military
companies which went through the
ordeal of the competitive drills, after
their duties were ended, gave them
selves up to fun, sight seeing and the
enjoyment of camp life. The soldiers
from Main and New Hampshire think
it is pretty hot weather in Washing
ton and on some of the parades q few
of them were overcome by the heat
each day. But the lads from Texas
: and Louisiana think it is very cold for
= May, and SILVER and put OH their over
coats. Altogether the health of the
camp has been good, considering
there are so many soldiers here from
various climates who have been sub
t jected to changes of different kinds
: and to unusal exertion and fatigue
: Still the hospital has proved an indis-
a pensability of the camp and there has
S been constant demand for the services
= OF the Red Cross Society, which has
n charge of it.
When the rain and wind amount
ing almost to cyclone struck the
city OF tents on three successive after
moons, making havoc with camp para
phernalia of every kind and buffeting
and drenching the soldiers, the latter
- felt that they were having a taste Of
the realities of military life on wal
% basis which they had hardly anticipa-
y ted. The rain storms were quite dis
y astrous, too, to the finances of the
i Drill. Besides unroofng the grand
stand and causing other damages
10 which represented actual outlay, they
. caused postponement of the pyrora
~ ma performance on two evenings, de
10 priving the Drill Committee OF receipts
c from that source. and they also Gu
10 out portion of each days programme
u as for instance the dress parades, a
" five o'clock P. M. which would have
n attracted many spectators, General
d. Greeley visited headquarters shortl,
IL after the first storm and in respons,
u to some jocular reproaches about tn,
III weather promised that it should b.
" good for the rest of the week.
u IL The General of the Virginia Brigad
VI. and the members OF his staff express
vi ed themselves as much pleased will
nc the results OF the encampment SO ia
as their men were concerned. The,
said it had been a camp OF instruction
ne to them, many of whom needed sucl
he experience. The strictest militar
be discipline has been maintained an
ce the troops have been required to al
to tend to every camp duty with as niue,
"a fidelity as tn ough they were actual
on in service in the field. One of the O
nd ficers also said that the Encampmen
os- had been of great benefit to many c
On the officers They were good dri
ng officers in their own armories bu
We knew little OF the duties required {
tic them in the field. Some of the cal
M tains have had their men up and i
line at five o'clock in the morning
on and no point has been neglected t
it give them all the benefit of instrut
Ire ton that a camp affords.
rs. The chief interest of the Drill no,
las lies in that which nobody has "
les found out, namely: how the varior
he companies stand in the competitiy
M drill, and which will get the $500
le- prize. The announcement Of til
nd awards will be made by the judges {
se. 8 o'clock this afternoon at the Dri
ar grounds, with due ceremony, and III
ike til this formal presentation no or
sts. but the judges will know who are til
winners. General Sheridan selecte
la the army officers who are the judg,
wv Of the Drill and be will present til
- prizes to the successful competitors.
, " The famous Lomax Rifles of Mobil
" W. it is thought, would be dangerous +
ne walls for first honors, and indeed the
go were a superb company of men drille
ac- finely. But they themselves do NJ
as expect a very high place now, as the
49,. labored under some disadvantage
GOV Their captain, it is said, on acbour
"a of the illness and death of his wifi
re- has not been able to drill his men
eri- late, and he accidently omitted who
IL. page Of the programme in the dri
iisU contest which will iniure their recor,